Process of treating wire rope



June 21, 1932. G c. sum: ,86 4 ,33s'

PROCESS OF TREATING WIRE ROPE Filed July 9, 1926 7 INVENTOR. k &my/:N C &130.

` 7/////////////////////////////////// ATTORNEY Pateited June 21, 1932 UNITED s'rATEs PATENT OFFICE C. BUBD, O AKBON, OEIO, ASSIGNOB '1'0 AMERICAN CABLE COMPANY, ING., A.

GOBPORATION OF DELAWARE PBOCESS 015'` TBEATING WIBE BOTE Application filed July 9, 1926. Serial No. 121.397.

This invention relates to a process for treating wire ro to obtain certain advantageous and as will be fully set forth eren.

s In the manufacture of wire rope by the invention is to treat the wire rope made by' the usual processes so as to remove the strains i and stresses with beneficial results noted herein, articularly with the `elmination of the ten ency to fly apart when the rope is cut.

A rope processed in the manner described has a longer life than ropes made by former methods without the treatment described.

The process resists kinking of the rope and eliminates the need for seizmg or bindng the rope near the point of severance to prevent separation of the Components. Not only do the strands show no tendency for the rope to unravel, but the individual Components of the strands resist Unraveling as well. The rope as treated 'is easy to handle, easy to splice, and easy to socket. i

Other advantages and benefits will be gained and the rope will be improved in other ways, as will he understood by those skilled in this art. It is obvious that, having explained the principles of the invention, other and 'modified forms thereof may suggest them- 35 selves to those skilled in this art, and it is not the intention to limit the invention to the specific process shown and described as changes and modifications in the apparatus and method may be made within the scope of the present invention.

In the drawing is shown one form of apparatus of the invention for carring out the process described herein, in whc e 1 is an assembly view showing the several apparatus of a complete rope treating unit;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the treating unit;

Figur-e 3 is a. section on the line 3--3 of Fig- Fgure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure Wire rope which isrmanufactured by the ordnaryprocesses known in the art for many years s ndicated at 10, being received upon reels, one of which is indicated at 11. From the reel, the wirerope passes to and through a treatng unit, indicated in general at 12, thence to the usual `pulling drums 13 and to a wmd-up reel 14, which are of the usual form known n this art and need not further be descr'bed except to state that the wire rope is drawn through the apparatus at the desired speed and with the desired tension.

The special treating apparatus 12, which is shown in detail in Figures 2, 3 and 4, comprises a stand or table 15. A motor 16, which drives the wind-u mechanism, also drives the apparatus 12 t rough a belt 17 and cross shaft 18, the latter being connected to a vertcal shaft 20 seated in a hearing 21 on the table 15. The upper end of shaft 20 carries a bevel gear`22 which meshes with rightand left-hand bevel gears 23 and 24, which are' carried upon shafts 25 and 26, respectively. The inner ends of the shafts are telescoped as shown at 27 and their outer ends are supported in Vertical plates 29 and 30 which are adjustable transversely of the table by means of Slots and bolts 31.'

The shafts 25 and 26, which' are thus driven in opposite directions, carry drive pinions 32 which are adjustably mounted on the shafts, and each of these pnions meshes with a larger geared disk 33', which is supported upon and guided by flanged rollers 34 adjustably mounted upon horizontal shafts 35 placed at suitable intervals about the gear. The body of each gear 33 is provided with a radial slot 36 having an enlargement 37 at the center of the gear, so that a guide in the form of a flnged spool or bushing 38 may be received therein, the center of the spool being apertured for the passage of the rope 10. The spool is adjustably held at a predetermined distance from the center of the gear by a 'screw 40, the outer end of which bears against the spool and the inner end being received in a nut 41 set in a recess 42 in the gear, the body of the gear being recessed at 43 for the admission of the screw.

It will be noted that the spool is set at some distance from the center of the gear, being maintained at that point by the tension upon the rope. It will also be observed that the s ools in. the two gears are arranged at dametrically opposed positions, and that at the center of the unit 12 is arranged a fixed guide 45, and in the end plates 29 and 30 are located two fixed guides 46 all in alinement, so that the rope in passing through the fixed guides 45 and 46 and'the spools 38 is given two oppositely turned bends. The depth of the bends and the sharpness thereof is determined by the adjustments of the several parts, being intended to give varied degrees o cur- Vature to the rope, depending upon its stiflz'- ness, a more flex'ible rope being given a greater degree and magnitude of bend than aless flexible rope.

The operation of the device and the process of treatment to accomplish the purposes of the invention will be readily under'stood. The rope, as it passes through the unit 12, is given a rapid bending back and forth by the two 'gears 33, the gears, revolving in opposite directions, counteracting thetendency of each spool to place a permanent kink or set in the wire. The angle of the bend and its magnitude is determined by the character of the wire, enough bend being imparted to the rope to bend it beyond its elastic limit. The adjustment of the bushings ofi' center and out of algnment with the fixed guides 45 and 46 and the progressive rotary bending of the rope back and forth beyond its elastic limit as it is drawn .through the treating unit puts a permanent set in each individual wire and each strand, leaving the strands and wire free from strains and stresses. The process puts the strands down to their proper seat on the core of the rope and gives a more perfect lay to the wires. The various advantages which were set forth above are accomplished in a simple and inexpensive manner and wire rope made in the usual way is given the improved qualities with a very small outlay. While only two bend'n movements are imparted to the rope' by the apparatus shown, it will be appreciated that the number may be increased, and the magnitude may be chalged to suit the particular conditions met wit It will be understood, of course,`that the speed of feeding the rope and the speed of rotating the 'spools 38 is roperly coord'inated to insure the desired ending and unbending of each component at the focus 45, so as to eliminate the .expansile characteristic therefrom throughout the rope. I

What is claimed s:

1. A process of treating wire rope formed of multiplehelically wound .wire components with an expansile characteristic, said process I comprising fixing the position of the rope at of multiple helically wound wire com onents' with an expansile characteristic, sai process comprising fixing the position of the rope at three spaced points, giving the rope between the spaced points acute angular bends in opposite directions, and moving the bendsof the rope in rotary paths in opposite directions, in such a manner that each of said helical components is alternately bent and unbent, whereby said expansile characteristic is eliminated.

3. A rocess of treating wire rope formed of multiple helically wound wire Components with an expansile characteristic, said process comprising giving the rope acute bending and unbendin movements be ond its elastic limit, and a vancin such ending movement progressively a on the rope in such a manner that each of sai helical com onents is alternately bent and-unbent, where y said expansile characteristic is eliminated.

4. A process of treating wire rope formed of multiple helically wound wire Components with an expansle characteristic, said process comprising giving the rope oppositely directed bending movements in rotary paths about the axis of the rope to a degree beyond its elastic limit, and advancing such bending movement progressively along the rope, in such a manner that each of said helical components is alternately bent and unbent, whereby said expansile characteristic is eliminated.

5. A rocess of treating wire rope for the uses and purposes set forth, comprising 'ving the rope oppositely directed beni ng movements in rotary paths in opposite directions about the axis of the rope to a degree beyond its elastic limit, and advancing such bending movement progressively along the rope.

w GORMAN C. BURD. 

